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Contact: Scott Germaise 845-348-3946 

Email: contact@tetramesa.com    Media kit: www.privacytactics.com/cs/media.htm

 

Top 5 Ways to Protect Kids’ Use of Internet Messaging

 

Nanuet, NY (April 28th, 2004) – National Safe Kids Week is from May 3rd through the 10th and provides a good reminder to review ways to keep children safe while using online services.

 

Privacy Tactics, a new 400 page book on consumer privacy, describes in-depth how to protect personal information assets against a variety of intrusions with over 40 personal information privacy and security tactics.

 

Here are some of the basic top tactics parents should use regarding their children’s use of online messaging services.

 

q     Make sure kids know to NEVER give out any personally identifiable information!

o       Make sure younger kids understand what “personally identifiable” information means. It’s not just a name or address; it’s anything which could lead an unknown individual to them. (Schools, specific sports teams they play on and similar.)

o       Check any directory profiles that a service may keep on someone using the system. Make sure these do not have identifying information or that these profiles are at least not visible to others.

q     NO personal meeting without parental approval!

o       Not in a private place. Not in a public place.

o       If you child meets another child via online means who may be local and they want to get together, any such meeting should be discussed and arranged by both children’s parents.

 

q     No “Secret” communications!

o       Warn your child to tell you if anyone asks them to keep their talks secret.

q     Have the hard conversations!

o       If you suspect anything inappropriate is going on, discuss it with your child immediately. Do not wait.

o       If your child is old enough that you feel they can do things online unsupervised, you must also be able to have difficult conversations with them about some potentially harsh realities.

o       Make it clear to your kids that you want them to talk to you if they receive any kind of sexual solicitation online.

 

q     Stay aware!

o       Especially if your kids have more computer literacy than the adult in the house, it’s important to physically look in on their activity. Make sure they understand the issues and your rules.

o       If you become aware or strongly believe something inappropriate has happened, save whatever information may be available on the screen or in open programs, shut down the computer. Unplug it. Contact the appropriate authorities so that they can look into things and seek information from the computer. Doing this is a serious step not to be taken lightly, but if you sincerely believe something has happened that warrants it, you will need expert assistance.

 

Privacy Tactics includes everything from how to decrease exposure to junk Email & viruses, junk postal mail, hidden tracking of Internet use, credit card/identity theft, safety techniques for home networks and more. Additionally, Privacy Tactics offers an introduction to the history of how ideas about privacy have developed in the United States along with overviews of major laws affecting citizens’ privacy.

 

Privacy Tactics is available online from TetraMesa Publishing at privacytactics.com and major online bookstores. Customers can have their favorite local bookstore order via Ingram. (ISBN 0-9744497-0-9 / 400 page paperback / $24.95)

 

More free information on kid’s safe use of online messaging is available at:  http://www.privacytactics.com/products/kidsafe.htm

 

Privacy Quick Facts, including statistics on child safety online is available at:

http://www.privacytactics.com/cs/media.htm

 

Review copies available on request.  Author Scott Germaise is available for interviews. 

 

Contact: Scott Germaise 845-348-3946 

Email: contact@tetramesa.com    Media kit: www.privacytactics.com/cs/media.htm